Military spending in Nigeria
Nigeria: Military spending was 1.76 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.76 billion constant 2024 US$
Change on year
up 54.8%
World rank
72nd
of 162 countries
All-time high
4.66 billion constant 2024 US$
in 1975
All-time low
119.86 million constant 2024 US$
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Military spending in Nigeria, 1960–2025
Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2024 US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military spending in Nigeria is 1.76 billion constant 2024 US$, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 54.8% on the previous year and up 48.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending in Nigeria peaked at 4.66 billion constant 2024 US$ in 1975 and was at its lowest, 119.86 million constant 2024 US$, in 1960.
That places Nigeria 72nd out of 162 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending in Nigeria, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 119.86 million constant 2024 US$ | — |
| 1961 | 136.42 million constant 2024 US$ | +13.8% |
| 1962 | 177.07 million constant 2024 US$ | +29.8% |
| 1963 | 214.28 million constant 2024 US$ | +21.0% |
| 1964 | 253.65 million constant 2024 US$ | +18.4% |
| 1965 | 295.77 million constant 2024 US$ | +16.6% |
| 1966 | 227.85 million constant 2024 US$ | -23.0% |
| 1967 | 1.02 billion constant 2024 US$ | +347.3% |
| 1968 | 1.57 billion constant 2024 US$ | +54.5% |
| 1969 | 2.65 billion constant 2024 US$ | +68.4% |
| 1970 | 2.26 billion constant 2024 US$ | -14.9% |
| 1971 | 1.87 billion constant 2024 US$ | -17.0% |
| 1972 | 2.36 billion constant 2024 US$ | +26.2% |
| 1973 | 2.53 billion constant 2024 US$ | +7.1% |
| 1974 | 2.85 billion constant 2024 US$ | +12.6% |
| 1975 | 4.66 billion constant 2024 US$ | +63.4% |
| 1976 | 3.33 billion constant 2024 US$ | -28.5% |
| 1977 | 3.53 billion constant 2024 US$ | +6.1% |
| 1978 | 2.75 billion constant 2024 US$ | -22.0% |
| 1979 | 2.38 billion constant 2024 US$ | -13.5% |
| 1980 | 1.93 billion constant 2024 US$ | -18.8% |
| 1981 | 1.27 billion constant 2024 US$ | -34.1% |
| 1982 | 998.25 million constant 2024 US$ | -21.7% |
| 1983 | 858.54 million constant 2024 US$ | -14.0% |
| 1984 | 573.73 million constant 2024 US$ | -33.2% |
| 1985 | 561.35 million constant 2024 US$ | -2.2% |
| 1986 | 493.55 million constant 2024 US$ | -12.1% |
| 1987 | 396.09 million constant 2024 US$ | -19.7% |
| 1988 | 389.28 million constant 2024 US$ | -1.7% |
| 1989 | 264.43 million constant 2024 US$ | -32.1% |
| 1990 | 436.68 million constant 2024 US$ | +65.1% |
| 1991 | 418.66 million constant 2024 US$ | -4.1% |
| 1992 | 360.18 million constant 2024 US$ | -14.0% |
| 1993 | 486.87 million constant 2024 US$ | +35.2% |
| 1994 | 341.62 million constant 2024 US$ | -29.8% |
| 1995 | 393.52 million constant 2024 US$ | +15.2% |
| 1996 | 333.77 million constant 2024 US$ | -15.2% |
| 1997 | 359.03 million constant 2024 US$ | +7.6% |
| 1998 | 458.31 million constant 2024 US$ | +27.7% |
| 1999 | 775.61 million constant 2024 US$ | +69.2% |
| 2000 | 598.95 million constant 2024 US$ | -22.8% |
| 2001 | 853.04 million constant 2024 US$ | +42.4% |
| 2002 | 1.29 billion constant 2024 US$ | +50.9% |
| 2003 | 792.63 million constant 2024 US$ | -38.4% |
| 2004 | 772.19 million constant 2024 US$ | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 681.80 million constant 2024 US$ | -11.7% |
| 2006 | 710.66 million constant 2024 US$ | +4.2% |
| 2007 | 825.35 million constant 2024 US$ | +16.1% |
| 2008 | 1.16 billion constant 2024 US$ | +40.5% |
| 2009 | 1.20 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.9% |
| 2010 | 1.41 billion constant 2024 US$ | +17.4% |
| 2011 | 1.57 billion constant 2024 US$ | +11.3% |
| 2012 | 1.39 billion constant 2024 US$ | -11.9% |
| 2013 | 1.33 billion constant 2024 US$ | -3.9% |
| 2014 | 1.21 billion constant 2024 US$ | -9.1% |
| 2015 | 1.18 billion constant 2024 US$ | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 1.14 billion constant 2024 US$ | -3.4% |
| 2017 | 1.09 billion constant 2024 US$ | -4.4% |
| 2018 | 1.29 billion constant 2024 US$ | +18.0% |
| 2019 | 1.18 billion constant 2024 US$ | -8.3% |
| 2020 | 1.52 billion constant 2024 US$ | +28.7% |
| 2021 | 2.38 billion constant 2024 US$ | +56.4% |
| 2022 | 1.48 billion constant 2024 US$ | -37.9% |
| 2023 | 1.78 billion constant 2024 US$ | +20.4% |
| 2024 | 1.13 billion constant 2024 US$ | -36.2% |
| 2025 | 1.76 billion constant 2024 US$ | +54.7% |
Nigeria compared with similar countries
- Nigeria's 1.76 billion constant 2024 US$ is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 557.82 million constant 2024 US$, 3.1× the median. (39 countries reporting)
- Nigeria's 1.76 billion constant 2024 US$ is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 336.91 million constant 2024 US$, 5.2× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending in Nigeria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | +347.3% | 227.85 million constant 2024 US$ | 1.02 billion constant 2024 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 667.09 million constant 2024 US$ | 119.86 million constant 2024 US$ | 2.65 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.85 billion constant 2024 US$ | 1.87 billion constant 2024 US$ | 4.66 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 774.42 million constant 2024 US$ | 264.43 million constant 2024 US$ | 1.93 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 436.43 million constant 2024 US$ | 333.77 million constant 2024 US$ | 775.61 million constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 888.63 million constant 2024 US$ | 598.95 million constant 2024 US$ | 1.29 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.28 billion constant 2024 US$ | 1.09 billion constant 2024 US$ | 1.57 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.68 billion constant 2024 US$ | 1.13 billion constant 2024 US$ | 2.38 billion constant 2024 US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nigeria
More reference data data for Nigeria
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.77 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 19.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 5.94 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 5.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 81.9 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 121.16 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 14.27 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending in Nigeria?
- Military spending in Nigeria was 1.76 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2025, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending recorded in Nigeria?
- The highest recorded value was 4.66 billion constant 2024 US$ in 1975.
- What is the lowest military spending recorded in Nigeria?
- The lowest recorded value was 119.86 million constant 2024 US$ in 1960.
- How does Nigeria rank for military spending?
- Nigeria ranks 72nd out of 162 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending rising or falling in Nigeria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 48.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Nigeria data come from?
- The figures come from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This data is expressed in US dollars. It is adjusted for inflation but does not account for differences in the cost of living between countries.